Folding chair.



No. 732,771. PATENTED JULY 7,1903. A. R. MILNER. FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE l7 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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r iatented July 7, 1903i ALBERT R. MILNER, OF CANAL DOVER, OHIO.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,771, dated July 7, 1903.

A Application filed June 17,1902. Serial No. 112,105. (No model.)

To mZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ALBERT R. MILNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at'Oanal Dover, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a f ull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makejand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to folding operachairs, and particularly to a swiveling chair in which the seat and back will fold automatically when the chair is not in use.

The object of the invention is to form an improved chair of the class indicated characterized by strength and simplicityof construction and by ease of operation. A single spring or equivalent weight operates to tilt both the seat and the back to asubstantially vertical position as soon as a person rises from the chair. Further novel features of arrangement and construction will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the chair. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the chair folded. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the side of the chair opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side view of a modificationin which a weight is substituted for the spring.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the base of the chair, which may be screwed or otherwise attached to the floor.

This base has a vertical circular bearing-- socket 6 for the spindle 7 a of the standard 7, on which the chairis supported. A swiveljoint is thus formed whereby the chair may around a lug 8, projecting from the seatbracket, and then both branches of the spring are coiled, as at 10, around the pivot-bolt 9 5 5' and-extend thence down between the forks of the standard, where the ends are seated in grooves formed in a block 11. The block is adjustable by means of a screw 11 to vary the tension of the spring.

A stop for the seat to limit its downward motion is formed by shoulders 7 at the top of the forks.

, The back-bracket comprises arms 12,joined at their lower end by a body or cross-bar 12 and lower extensions 12. The back is pivoted to the standard bya bolt13, which passes through the extensions 12 and through ears 7 projecting rearwardly from each fork of the standard. The extensions on the backbracket are outside the ears and are shaped to abut against 'stops 7 which project laterally from the standard when the back is tilted backward to its limit. The back is pivoted forward of its center of gravity, so that it has a tendency to tilt backward.

To cause the back to tilt forward when the seat is lifted by the spring, a laterally-projecting lug 8 is formed 'on one side of the seat-bracket. This lug bears against a toe 8o 12", which projects forwardly from one of the extensions 12 of the back-bracket. This toepiece may be separate and secured firmly to the back-bracket, as by a screw-bolt12 or it; may be cast integrally with the back-bracketj'i 8 When the seat is lowered, the'lug at the heel thereof rises and allows the back to tilt backsion of the back-bracket is shaped to strike this cushion, as shown in Fig. 4.

The swiveling feature will be found very useful in opera-houses and halls in cleaning the-floor, as the chairs can be turned so that all parts of the floor can be readily reached.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the weight 13 is substituted for the spring. This weight is joined to the seat-bracket by a curved arm 13, which works between the forks of the standard. The weight hangs out behind and serves to turn the seat on its pivot, and with it the back, in a manner similar to the spring described above.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. A folding chair comprising a single standard directly under the seat, seat and back brackets pivoted thereto under the seat and having engaging projections under the seat to tilt the back forwardly by raising the seat, and a spring bearing against the seatbracket and acting to normally raise the same.

2. A folding chair comprising a base, a forked freely-swiveling standard thereon, a seat and a back pivoted to the forks and having engaging projections causing an automatic opposite-folding movement, and a spring between the forks bearing against the seat to normally raise the same; the standard, seat and back pivots, and spring, being beneath the seat and within the floor-space thereof, substantially as described.

In a chair, in combination, a base, asingle forked standard swiveling freely thereon, seat and back brackets, pivot-bolts extending through the forks and brackets, projections on the brackets engaging to tilt the back forward when the seat is raised, stops on the standard for the brackets, a spring coiled around the pivot-bolt of the seatbracket between the forks of the standard and bearing under the seat-bracket to normally raise the same; all of said parts being under the seat and back and within the floorspace thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT R. MILNER.

Witnesses:

GEO. HOOPINGARM, FLORENCE HAMMOND. 

